


In the Dead of Night

by wishdaughter



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:34:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24861637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wishdaughter/pseuds/wishdaughter
Summary: Bernadetta steals what little time she can get with her Emperor—while there is still time left.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg & Bernadetta von Varley, Edelgard von Hresvelg/Bernadetta von Varley
Comments: 4
Kudos: 48





	In the Dead of Night

The camp bustled with activity while the highest-ranking officers gathered around the table in the command tent for an emergency war council. Edelgard could feel Hubert looming over her shoulder, serving as the Emperor's front while she gathered her thoughts in a closed-off silence. The leather of her gloves creaked with her clenching fist—she needed to shake her desperation before addressing them.

She glanced over her officers. Some familiar, some less so. A frazzled Linhardt was caught in an animated argument about what defences needed to be fortified along the border, his eyes were as alert as ever, if a bit wild. The scholar must not be getting enough sleep.

Dorothea stood, pointedly ignoring the noise and staring gravely at the tactical map. It made her ill to see how hard these five years had been on her dear friend. She chose this path against all reason because she believed in Edelgard—it felt like she had manipulated her in some way, that it wasn't right to keep her here.

A patronising attitude, Dorothea would be furious if she knew. She wasn't being kept, she chose this and kept choosing it every day. All Edelgard could do was make sure she wasn't doing it for nothing.

Her fist clenched harder as she thought of General Ladislava, her loss would be sorely felt.

When her gaze finally found Bernadetta she was met with an understanding smile. Edelgard's eyes went wide for a moment before she could steel her expression.

"Lady Edelgard." Hubert's voice sounded from his perch above her ear. She gave him a curt nod.

He brought the room to order.

"Thank you, Hubert," she took a deep breath before addressing the council, "as I'm sure you're all aware—Myrddin has fallen. Garrett, if you could relay your report." She gestured to the rather haunted messenger Ladislava had sent to bring them the dire news.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" He saluted. "Our forces were completely overwhelmed. The church seemed to have accounted for every contingency, there was simply no stopping them once they reached the walls."

An officer scoffed. "Poor leadership. I warned you against installing General Ladislava in such a crucial location, Your Majesty. Now the gates stand open to our enemies and Enbarr will fall within the month."

Edelgard swallowed her indignation at the slander. Ladislava was one of her most trusted allies and she had just given her life for them in a doomed siege. She turned instead toward the messenger. "Garrett?"

"W— Well, I won't pretend to know anything about command, but I don't think General Ladislava's leadership was the problem," terror flashed in his eyes as he continued, "the Enlightened One was among the knights..."

The council kept quiet as the man described what he had seen. The Sword of the Creator is said to have the power to fell entire armies but, although Edelgard never doubted its terrible strength in their days at Garreg Mach routing bandits and small militias, she had failed to fully appreciate just how devastating it would be when used on a larger battlefield. How does one direct their troops against a woman who can dismember dozens of men with a flick of her wrist? Add to that her brilliant tactical mind and seeming ability to predict the future and the war was beginning to seem truly hopeless.

But that was not a thought the Emperor could entertain. For the sake of all who had died, willingly or not, she had to see this through to the end.

She looked again to Bernadetta. Her reassuring smile was long gone—she shifted uncomfortably on her feet, chewing the thumb of her glove as the true gravity of the situation slowly settled over them. For her sake, she had to succeed.

\------------

The council ran for hours, and even after it was dismissed people kept spilling in and out of the command tent for clarifications and to raise issues for further discussion. There was simply too much that needed to be done in the wake of such a disaster, and Edelgard found herself writing up correspondences long after the sun had set. She wasn't even close to finished yet...

"Lady Edelgard," came that familiar, deep voice in her ear, and a large hand gripped her shoulder firmly, "I believe it's time you called it a night."

Sure enough, her mind had begun slipping. Perhaps she should have made this determination herself after the second time she had to scrap a letter because she accidentally addressed it to Bernadetta. She gave the hand on her shoulder a gentle pat. "You're right."

The assuring grip fell away and her retainer stepped to her side, taking her hand as she rose from her seat. She concealed a yawn as she looked up at the man. "Thank you," she said and gave him what she hoped was a genuine smile. Hubert returned it with one of his inscrutable grins before bowing and leading her out of the command tent.

The only people out anymore were the night watch—the day really had come to an end. Calm and silence permeated the camp, threatening to put Edelgard to sleep even as she walked.

It wasn't until Hubert bid her good night in front of her tent that Edelgard realised, to her horror, that she had been simply following him without any consideration for her surroundings. What if he was headed for his own tent, completely unaware that his Emperor was trailing behind him like a lost child? She shook the thought from her mind.

Once inside she was startled to see a figure sitting on her bed. She raised an eyebrow when she recognised her as a certain timid woman who had been growing more brazen around her by the day. "Bernadetta?"

The woman shot her an awkward grin. “Edelgard.”

Edelgard peered out the entrance to the tent to see if anyone was watching before drawing it shut.

“Don’t worry, no one saw me,” Bernadetta said, turning her attention back to whatever she had been knitting to pass the time.

Edelgard sighed as she removed the crown from her head. She rubbed her temples and sensed a headache finally catching up to her. “I apologise, Bernadetta. I should know to trust your discretion.”

“I— I can sneak back out if you want,” Bernadetta muttered, lowering the knitting needles to her lap.

“No, please stay. In fact—would you mind helping me with my armour?” Edelgard said as she placed the crown in its case.

The knitting supplies were set aside on the bed as Bernadetta scampered to Edelgard’s side and began removing her regalia and the armour-plating that went with it.

The surgical scars that marred her skin from the crest infusion were gradually being painted over by the scars she earned in battle. At least she could take pride in these, having received them in the pursuit of something greater.

Or perhaps that was just what she told herself, to put her mind off the new hideous deformities she would carry with her for the rest of her life.

The archer's long fingers gently teased her hair loose from the tight buns it had been trapped in all day. Slender but firm arms wrapped around her abdomen and Bernadetta’s cheek pressed against her own from behind her shoulder. “Beautiful,” she murmured.

An undignified noise escaped Edelgard's lips as she leaned into the prescient woman holding her so gently. A peck on the cheek marked her appreciation.

The arms fell away reluctantly at Edelgard’s urging hands.

“I’ll be with you in a moment,” Edelgard assured. She slipped into her nightgown and sat down at the simple vanity in the corner to brush her hair.

When the knots and tangles had all smoothed out she allowed herself a moment longer to enjoy how the brush glid softly through her stark white tresses. Soothing her very soul.

She was amused to catch Bernadetta peeking when she looked up from her reverie, chuckling at how she suddenly became fully engrossed in her knitting.

She took a seat next to her on the bed. An unvoiced agreement passed between them when their eyes met and Bernadetta shifted from her position to sit in Edelgard’s lap. Her arms slid protectively over the taller woman’s hips and she kissed the back of her neck before resting her head between shoulder blades, breathing deeply of her scent.

Horses and earth. Everything smelled like horses and earth. Edelgard crushed her cheek against Bernadetta, pulling her tight against her. 

“How are you doing?” Bernadetta asked, knitting needles forgotten in favour of caressing the arms around her. The lean musculature in the archer’s back, tensing and shifting against Edelgard with every movement, exposed the great warrior behind Bernadetta’s gentle demeanour—it filled her with a sense of both pride and guilt in equal measure.

“I didn’t mean to worry you...” Edelgard muttered.

“I didn’t... say that you did...” Edelgard smiled at the soft voice thrumming in the woman’s chest.

“No, you did not,” she said, kissing her back. She sighed, “I’m dreading facing the professor.”

Bernadetta nodded slowly in understanding. “I think we all are,” and in a much smaller voice, she added, “do you still love her?”

Edelgard hummed. “I don’t think I could ever stop loving her.” She took Bernadetta’s hand in her own as she felt her tense. “I always knew she would turn against me when my treachery was laid bare, I could never hate her for that...”

She threatened Bernadetta’s neck with a canine, satisfied when she fell back into her embrace. She kissed the small red mark that formed on her skin. “I love you more, Bernadetta. Nothing could ever change that.”

A silence formed between them, only broken by the sounds of Edelgard’s reverent kisses along her lover’s broad shoulders and neck.

“Wh— What about me? Did you... think I would turn against you?” Came Bernadetta’s agitated voice. Edelgard needed to slow down—she didn’t have the energy to satisfy the poor woman.

“I did.” She rested her head on her shoulder. “I never expected that the kind and gentle Bernadetta, who spent her time tending the monastery garden and making beautiful art in the privacy of her room, could ever forgive a monster like me.”

Bernadetta shook her head. “It wasn’t a hard decision... I— I already knew you weren’t a monster...”

“I’m grateful you think that.”

Bernadetta chuckled—a nervous, broken sound Edelgard knew signified that she was annoyed. “One of these days you’re gonna accept that I’m right.”

Edelgard tightened her hold possessively and perched her chin on Bernadetta’s shoulder. Irritated by how she had to strain slightly to do so, she muttered, “I regret never having the chance to hold you like this when I was still the taller between us.”

Bernadetta laughed, genuinely this time, at the change in subject. She leaned her head on Edelgard’s. “Really? I always preferred it when my stuffies were bigger than me...”

Edelgard chuckled. “Perhaps you’re right.” She brushed her lips over Bernadetta's ear and hummed. “My very own 'Bernie Bear...' I’ll be sure to treasure you.”

“Y— You should sleep,” a flustered Bernadetta forced out, pulling away from Edelgard’s kisses.

Edelgard groaned but had to acquiesce—tomorrow wouldn’t be any shorter than today had been. “Will you stay?” She asked as Bernadetta stood to move her knitting supplies off the bed.

“Always.” The warmth in Bernadetta’s smile melted Edelgard’s heart and she captured her lips with her own as soon as she returned to her side.

“I love you,” she breathed against her lips when they drew away, keeping their foreheads pressed together.

“I love you too,” Bernadetta whispered back.

Feeling giddy at her words, Edelgard allowed herself to be pushed down into the bed and was soon wrapped in a warm cocoon of limbs and blankets.

Sleep came easily—and her dreams were peaceful.

**Author's Note:**

> (I'm sorry about these titles, I don't know what I'm doing. Same goes for tags.)
> 
> An established relationship this time! I hope the intimacy wasn't too stilted...
> 
> I'm honestly too nervous to respond directly to the comments y'all leave, but know that I still super appreciate it if you're brave enough to leave them! Kudos as well and all that!


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